I'm Sorry
by Laheara
Summary: Piper doesn't take the news that Chris is her son very well at first and lashes out. But after overhearing him tell his aunts what life was like in his time she realizes how wrong she was about him.


Title: "I'm Sorry" Author: Laheara (entsg1efc2002@yahoo.ca) Fandom: Charmed, season 6 Spoilers: Courtship of Wyatt's Father Disclaimers: I don't own them, as much as I'd like too. This is just for fun.  
  
Author's Note 1: OK, I really adore Chris; I think he's been the best addition to the show in a long time, right up there with Cole. I knew from day one that Chris was family to the sisters, he had to be to risk so much to come back and try to save the Halliwells so they could save the world. When they started dropping hints he was family I was very happy.  
  
However when Phoebe busted Chris thanks to her vision at the Magic school I was SHOCKED at how little Phoebe seemed to want to help Chris. And then in the "Courtship" episode she as much as said they shouldn't try to save Chris that his only destiny was to warn them. I can't believe she would be that cold to him, he's her own blood for crying' out loud. So you'll have to forgive me if a little of that bitterness toward her comes through in this fic.  
  
Author Note 2: This story does not fit in with my other story, "Please Give Me Another Chance". I'm still not sure where I'll go with that one. But I will try to get back to it soon.  
  
This is kind of a "what happened next" story.  
  
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"What am I going to do?" Piper looked lost and confused and even a little scared.  
  
Phoebe just said the first thing that came into her mind; "Well maybe you should talk to Leo about it."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because... because... because I can't!"  
  
A knock is heard at the door, "Is this a bad time?" Piper and her sisters all look toward the door. Piper just stares at Chris, still not quite sure what to make of this news. Chris is nervous but he tries to smile for her, however her intense stare unnerves him even further.  
  
Chris looks down, "I'm sorry, this is private moment. I'll go."  
  
Paige sees the hurt and uncertainty in his eyes and looks at Phoebe who can feel the hurt coming from him but she is stunned from feeling both Piper's confusion and worry along with Chris's fear of rejection. Paige looks to Piper who is still frozen staring at Chris who is now turning to leave.  
  
Once out in the hall Chris orbs to the kitchen feeling walking there would take to long. He leans against the island and tries to breath. He feels something on his face and reached up to wipe it away and his hand comes away with a tear on it. Chris remembers the blank stare his mother was giving him and sinks to the floor still leaning against the island.  
  
Paige comes rushing into the kitchen and quickly spots Chris on the floor. She goes over to him and kneels down. "I'm sorry Piper reacted like that Chris, but you just have to give her time. This is a lot for her all at once."  
  
Chris raises his head to look at her and her heart breaks to see tears in his eyes, "It's alright Paige. I know she wasn't expecting that and it caught her by surprise." Chris laughs, "I don't know what I was thinking... or... or expecting her to be like when she found out. I guess that's why I didn't want any of you to know who I really was. I didn't want to take the chance of feeling that kind of rejection all over again."  
  
Paige frowns and reaches out to touch Chris's face, "She didn't reject you Chris, she just needs some time to get her head around all this." Paige tried a weak smile, "You still have Phoebe and I until she does. We love you."  
  
Chris smiles through his tears and looks down with a laugh then looks back at Paige, "Thanks."  
  
Paige smiles for real this time, "No problem, what are aunts for anyway?" She pulls Chris into a hug and they stay that way for a few moments. Finally they separated and Paige looked into his eyes, "Come on, what do you say we go give Piper another chance to meet you?"  
  
Chris just smiles and takes the hand Paige offered to help him up. "Ok."  
  
In the bedroom Phoebe finally tries to approach Piper. "Piper? Piper, honey, hey... you ok?" Piper just looks down still stunned and slowly turns to look at Phoebe. She still hasn't said anything and so Phoebe tries to get her talking, "Honey? Ok you're freaking me out here... say something."  
  
Piper just stared again for another few moments, and then she spoke, "No."  
  
Phoebe grasped Piper's hand and asked, "What do you mean, no?"  
  
Piper seems to be coming out of her daze now and answers, "No... no... no, Chris CAN'T be my son."  
  
In the hallway outside Chris stops Paige and when she gives him a strange look so he says, "Phoebe has mom talking. I don't want to scare her back into silence. Let's just let her talk for a while."  
  
Paige nods, "Good idea."  
  
"Why can't he be your son? I mean, what we saw kinda proves it. He figured out he needed to be conceived by midnight last night or he wouldn't be born. At midnight last night he vanished just after we made contact with you on the Ghostly Plane. But when we brought you and Leo back today Chris reappeared because of what you guys did last night. So that proves he is who he says he is."  
  
Piper is shaking her head, "No. No, that doesn't prove anything. Chris has been manipulating us ever since her arrived. How do you know this wasn't his latest scheme to make us trust him?"  
  
Phoebe squeezed Piper's hand, "No, sweetie, he's not. Paige and I saw him slowly vanishing before our eyes. He couldn't fake that."  
  
"I still don't trust him, I don't believe it. Chris is not my son. Chris... no! Leo told me that Valkyrie, who owned the pendant he gave to me to get us into Valhalla, was murdered. My son would not murder someone."  
  
Phoebe frowned, "No offence Piper, but we know Wyatt is evil in the future. He's done terrible things, and the world is hell then. So maybe that changed Chris too, just like it changed Wyatt."  
  
"The only person who's said Wyatt is evil in the future is Chris, how do we know he isn't lying to us like he has been all along? He let the Order take Wyatt and turn him."  
  
Phoebe was shocked at Pipers sudden turn against Chris, "Piper, he also risked his life to help us save Wyatt and told you how to use the sceptre to change Wyatt back."  
  
"Yeah, likely to cover his own ass and prove himself right. How did he know how to use it?"  
  
Phoebe just stared at Piper as she got up and walked to the window. "Piper, what is it with you? Why are you suddenly turning again Chris?"  
  
"It's not sudden Phoebe, I've never really trusted him, he just always seems to have an answer to everything before it happens."  
  
"Honey, he's from the future, that would make sense."  
  
"No. I don't believe it."  
  
Phoebe sat there a moment and thought. "Alright, how about this? You like conventional medicine so when you miss next time I'll got to the store and pick up a pregnancy test. You take it and if it comes back positive you give Chris a chance?"  
  
Piper didn't answer at first, "Even if I am pregnant it doesn't mean it's him. But I'll take the test anyway. I'd still like to know if Leo gave me something else to remember him by."  
  
Phoebe looked at her strange, "What do you mean remember him by?"  
  
Piper sighs and sits down again, "Leo has to leave us for good this time. His duties as an Elder are slipping because he won't let Wyatt and me go and if he knows he has two children he's leaving behind it will be even harder. I don't want to hurt him more then he is already."  
  
"Ok, it's your call. I'll go downstairs and talk to Paige about... things and let you get some rest this had to have been a big ordeal for you." Phoebe got up and walked to the door. "Chris is still here, so will you at least be civil to him for now."  
  
"I can't promise anything, but I'll try."  
  
Phoebe nods and walks into the hallway. She gets to the stairs and sees Paige there holding Chris, who had tears running down his face, and so did Paige for that matter. She quickly goes over and kneels beside them, "Oh my god Chris, I'm so sorry you had to hear that. I don't know what's wrong with her."  
  
Paige just glared at Phoebe, "How could she say those things about him?"  
  
Phoebe shook her head, "I don't know, I don't know what's going on with her, but that's not how she usually acts Chris, you have to believe us."  
  
Chris finally pulled away from Paige and leaned his head against the banister and took a few calming breaths. When he spoke his voice cracked but he didn't stop. "Actually I was expecting her to not believe me, I just didn't think she would be so cold about it. I don't know why I thought she might want me, I've been a real pain in the ass to you guys since I arrived here." Chris looked at them both and took a deep breath.  
  
Paige could see the pain and sadness in Chris's eyes and she couldn't believe that Piper would be so cruel. She looked at the doorway leading to the attic and moved to get up but Chris saw the determined look in her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her back down. "No, don't! Don't say anything to her. I shouldn't have let you tell her in the first place. Really it's not as bad as you might think. I'm used to this from her, I guess... I just hoped this time would be better. But she always kept me at arms length; she just didn't have time for me with everything she had to go through with Wyatt. I learned to grow up without my parents; they were just too busy for to deal with me too. That's why I feel so connected to you Paige, you were like my only family growing up and I came to you for almost everything."  
  
Phoebe looked worried, "Where was I? What happened to me?"  
  
Chris shook his head, "Nothing happened to you, you were just busy with your daughter, and so I didn't want to bother you. Paige was the last to have kids so she was around for me."  
  
Phoebe smiled, "I have a daughter? What's she like?"  
  
Chris smiled, "I can't tell you anything specific, but she's healthy, smart, powerful and beautiful, just like her mother."  
  
Phoebe had tears in her eyes hearing this. She reached out and cupped Chris's tear-stained face and smiled at him, "Thank you Chris, for telling me my vision of that does really happen."  
  
Chris choked back his own tears and smiled at her, "You're welcome, Aunt Phoebe."  
  
Phoebe and Paige both laughed and hugged Chris at the same time. Phoebe pulled away and a few seconds later so did Paige. "Well I have to go finish my column for tomorrow and fax it to Elise, but I'll be right back. I love you, Chris."  
  
She stood and went downstairs; Paige remained and just looked at Chris with tears in her eyes and a smile. Chris hugged her one more time and then pulled away, "You've got to have more important things to do then babysit me. You do enough of that in the future."  
  
Paige smiled and said, "I promise I won't mind it at all, you are one of my two favourite nephews. I do have a temp job to check in on, but what if Piper comes..."  
  
Chris cut her off with a shake of his head, "Go. I'll stay out of mom's hair, I've got lots of practice."  
  
This still broke Paige's heart that Chris' future was so full of sadness, but she was glad at least she had been there for him. "I love you Chris."  
  
"I love you to Aunt Paige, I love all of you." Paige pulled him into another hug and then bolted down the stairs after Phoebe. "Wait, I'll orb you to the Mirror on my way to work Phoebe."  
  
When she was gone Chris stood and was tempted to go check on his mother and brother but decided against it. He would do what he said and keep out of his mothers way until his aunts returned. He took a step toward the door but stopped, "I love you too mom. I'm sorry to disappoint you again." With that he turned and walked downstairs to the living room to wait.  
  
In Wyatt's room Piper was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall just inside the door. There were tears streaming down her face from listening to Chris talk about his time and the terrible mother she had been to him and that Leo was never around then either. It tore her heart out to think she'd likely never see him again and she knew that must have been why she was so mean to Chris. She knew when she was saying it that she didn't believe her arguments that Chris wasn't her son. As soon as her sisters told her she knew it was true, it just felt right. She was just trying to prove it to herself so she wouldn't have to think about raising two children without a father.  
  
Piper leaned forward and hugged her mid-section as she started rocking back and forth on the floor. She touched her stomach and cried out loud for the first time. "No. I'm sorry Chris. I'm sorry I was such a terrible mother to you. You didn't disappoint me, baby." Piper sat there and cried until she heard a commotion downstairs and knew that her sisters must be back finally. She quickly wiped her eyes and went to the bathroom, not wanting to explain her puffy eyes to them or Chris.  
  
Downstairs the sisters hung up their coats and came into the living room to find Chris lying on the couch sleeping peacefully. Paige stood there looking at him as Phoebe came in behind her and stopped also.  
  
Paige smiled, "You know I don't know why we didn't see it before. Chris looks a lot like Piper and Leo. He has her dark brown hair, and her nose. He also has her temper and her kick ass determination when he sets his mind to something."  
  
"Yeah, and he's got all of our sense of protecting the family and the crazy life that comes with being part of this family. He's got Leo's height and even though his eyes are green, he kinda has Leo's eyes."  
  
"You think so too? I totally thought that." Paige said smiling at her sister.  
  
"You think we should wake him?"  
  
Paige looked at his calm expression and shook her head, "Nah, let him sleep after what he just went through. We already know the test is going to come back positive because he's here."  
  
Phoebe nodded and looked at Chris again, "You're right. Let's go check on Piper."  
  
Paige nodded and followed Phoebe upstairs. When they were gone Chris opened his eyes and smiles sadly, "Thanks for caring you guys." Then he closed his eyes and tried to sleep for real.  
  
Upstairs they went to Wyatt's room but didn't find Piper. Paige looked in Piper's room and then called, "Piper? Where are you?"  
  
"In the bathroom. Just give me minute."  
  
Paige looked at Phoebe and shrugged, "Ok." They waited outside and Piper could hear they hadn't left yet. "I think I can handle this myself, you two go check on Wyatt."  
  
Her sisters shrugged again and went to Wyatt's room. Paige sat down on the couch while Phoebe went over to the playpen. "Ok is it just me or is she acting way different then when she left?"  
  
Phoebe nodded, "Yeah, she is. She's acting more like herself again. I don't know what was with her before but she owes Chris a major apology."  
  
"No kidding she made him cry."  
  
"She didn't just make him cry, I was shocked at how cold she was too."  
  
"Maybe it was just shock. When she sees she really is pregnant she'll likely calm right down and go talk to Chris."  
  
Phoebe sat down in the chair by the window and nodded, "I really hope you're right. I feel so bad for Chris; he grew up in hell, with hardly any family around for him. Thank god he had you for a while."  
  
Paige nodded, "I know, I'm glad too. But the only problem is little Chris now isn't going to have his dad around either if Leo really can't ever come back now that he's and Elder."  
  
Phoebe looked at Wyatt, "I know. I guess we'll just have to be sure we're always around for all three of them to try to make up."  
  
Piper felt weak in the knees and sat down on the toilet quickly, she didn't have to wait a month for a test, because already she knew it would be positive. Knowing that Chris was telling the truth made everything she'd heard him say seem so much more real. She felt terrible about Chris having heard those hateful things she'd said and knew she had to talk to him.  
  
Piper finally came out of the bathroom when her eyes calmed down and she covered some up with makeup. She entered the room just as Paige said, "We've all been so terrible to Chris we really owe it to him to try to make this up to him."  
  
Phoebe looked up to see Piper enter and nodded toward the door and Paige jumped up scared Piper had heard that so she quickly changed the subject, "SO! You ok?"  
  
Piper had heard the comment and knew her sister was right, they had been terrible to Chris and she had been worse so she WAS going to make it up to him somehow. She nodded and looked at them both. "Look, I don't know what was going through my head a while ago. I know you two wouldn't like to me about something like this. It does make things seem a whole lot more reasonable about why Chris acts the way he does sometimes. Now that I've had time to think about it I see little bits of Leo and me in him."  
  
Paige smiled, "Maybe you should tell him that. He was really upset at what you said about him. He feels like you're rejecting him and that you don't love him."  
  
Phoebe, "Well she can't love him yet, it's too soon, but you can at least try to be nicer to him."  
  
Piper shook her head, "No, you're wrong." But sisters tensed thinking they were in for another bout of anger but Piper smiled and said, "I can love him already. Even though he's only a few hours old, I can feel baby Chris inside me, and I already love him, just like I loved Wyatt before he was born."  
  
Her sisters came over and hugged her and then Phoebe did her "hello baby" thing again that she'd done when they found out about Wyatt. Piper peeled her sisters off of her and pointed to the door, "OUT! I need to go talk to my son." Her sisters laughed and moved aside for Piper to pass and they followed her.  
  
The sisters came down the stairs and found Chris, this time really asleep, on the couch. Just as Paige and Phoebe had done Piper stopped and just admired him for a moment. She was right; she could see herself and Leo in him and was shocked she didn't see it before. She quietly walked over and knelt beside the couch and brushed Chris's hair back from his face and ran her fingers down his cheek lovingly.  
  
Chris stirred at the feeling of someone touching him, he whispered in his sleep, "Mom?"  
  
Piper smiled that he could tell it was her touch; maybe she hadn't been such a bad mother afterall. She smiled and whispered back, "Yes, Chris, it's me."  
  
Chris smiled and turned into her touch, "Mom, I love you. I miss you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't save you."  
  
Piper didn't know what happened to her in the future but she could easily tell that Chris blamed himself for it, "It wasn't your fault Chris. I love you too, honey." Piper was stroking his hair now and Chris finally woke up.  
  
Chris opened his eyes and saw a hand above him then he looked at Piper, "Mom! Piper, I mean Piper! I'm sorry; I didn't mean to go to sleep here in the manor. I'll go!"  
  
Chris started to orb out but Piper reached into the blue and white lights and pulled him back. "Chris stop, please!"  
  
Chris rematerialized again on the couch and looked at her, "If you're worried about what you said, it's ok. I didn't think you'd trust me, I don't blame you, it's not like I'm someone you would want to be related too. I've been an annoyance to you all these last few months."  
  
Piper cut Chris off by putting her fingers over his mouth. "Chris, stop." Just looked at her and nodded. Piper removed her hand and took his chin instead. "Chris what I said before, I didn't mean it. I was shocked at the sudden news and I was thinking about never seeing Leo again and I just went off and I didn't care who I hurt. I didn't mean any of it Chris, please believe me. I'd like to think I'm not the kind of person that would hurt someone just because they can. I don't want to hurt you Chris, I really don't, you're my son, and I love you."  
  
Chris was stunned at his mother's outpouring of affection and regret. Piper could see he was shocked and it hurt to think he would be so surprised at her acting like a mother to him. She reached up and touched Chris's face again but now that he was awake he reacted very differently. Chris jerked away from her hand and his eyes were filled with fear and even more sadness.  
  
Piper was started at his change in reaction and pulled her hand away. "I'm sorry, Chris. You don't want me to touch you." It was a statement, not a question and her voice sounded like she was feeling rejected now.  
  
Chris heard this in her voice and slowly slides back toward her and even more slowly reached out and touched her hand. He tentatively touched the soft skin and felt the same pain again but he forced himself to move through it and he took her small hand in both of his and brought it to his face.  
  
"I'm sorry mom, it's just the last time you did that to me..." He closed his eyes and swallowed a few times.  
  
Piper let him guide her hand back to his face and she saw the fear and hurt still there but she could also see he was trying to fight his reaction. "Chris, what happened the last time I touched you?"  
  
Chris's eyes were still closed and when he opened them they were full of tears and mourning. He whispered and his voice cracked, "You touched... my face... like that right before you... died."  
  
Paige and Phoebe both gasped at this news and Piper's eyes went wide with sorrow, not for herself but for now knowing Chris saw her die. She pulled Chris to her and hugged him tightly. Chris melted into the embrace, having not felt one for many years, and let himself cry on her shoulder.  
  
"I heard you calling me, and when I orbed into the manor it was in flames Paige and Phoebe were dead. I ran to you and pulled you to me and you woke up for a minute. You weakly reached up and touched my face and said... you... loved me..." Chris's sobs got louder but he finished, "Then you died in my arms."  
  
Piper's face was wet with tears again at the pain she felt coming from Chris. Even from across the room there was so much sorrow and grief Phoebe could feel it and it broke her heart. Paige was in tears also and stood and came over to sit beside Chris and wrapped her arms around him also. Phoebe finally snapped out of her daze at feeling so much emotion and moved over and stepped around Piper on the floor and sat on Chris's other side and hugged him too.  
  
Piper ran her hand through Chris's hair and whispered, "I'm sorry you had to see that Chris."  
  
So how Wyatt sensed the sadness downstairs and orbed himself down to mother to try to help. He orbed into Pipers lap and then hugged Chris's leg. Chris looked down at the new person touching him and his hand felt to Wyatt's head. They all sat like that for a while just embracing each other like a real family. Chris stopped crying after a while and just felt so happy to be here with his mother and aunts and good Wyatt. This is what he was trying to save for his future, this love and family that had died away somehow. When they all pulled apart he would explain more but for now he just sat and enjoyed it.  
  
The End. :)  
  
Ok so what did you think? Good? You like? Let me know. 


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